(submitted photo/Lizzie Janzen)

By Ben Tompkins

Team Canada

Melfort girl to compete at Archery World Tournament in South Africa

May 30, 2023 | 2:28 PM

A local high school student has been selected to represent her country on a completely different continent.

Lizzie Janzen is a Grade 12 student at Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate and is set to compete at the Archery World Tournament in Limpopo, South Africa this July.

Janzen most recently participated at National Archery in the School Program (NASP) Provincials at the end of April, finishing third in the province.

(submitted photo/Lizzie Janzen)

This display, along with the history of success she’s had, earned her a spot on the national squad.

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“I was very excited (to be selected) because I’ve never been out of the country and to go to represent my country is pretty cool,” Janzen told northeastNOW. “I’ve been working towards getting better at it (archery) and then I actually did get better and got invited to go to South Africa, so I was very excited and shocked that I get to go… I really didn’t think I would ever go to South Africa for archery.”

Janzen has been passionate about archery since she was quite young after being first introduced during gym class in Grade 3 before beginning to enter tournaments in just her Grade 4 year.

In the time since Janzen has won multiple provincial titles.

(submitted photo/Lizzie Janzen)

She views the sport as “really fun” but is a bit nervous about the upcoming experience, as she knows how big of a deal it is to dawn the maple leaf.

“I guess it’s kind of nerve-wracking because I don’t really know how my teammates shoot, but I feel like if they’ve been selected, they’re probably good. The team will probably be good, I’ve actually never met any of them,” Janzen said about the pressure she may face in regard to her fellow teammates.

“What I’m most excited about is seeing the ocean because I’ve never seen the oceans and exploring Cape Town because that’s our vacation part of it, which is happening first. Then, I’m excited to meet new people, compete against them, and see where I stand.”

Her team will fly out on July 19, which will be a 27-hour flight, and Janzen has to raise roughly $6,000 for the trip. She has gone around to local businesses in hopes that they sponsor her.

Meanwhile, she is also undergoing extensive training in preparation for worlds, which includes shooting at least 100 arrows a day.

This won’t be even the first time Janzen has competed at World’s either, as she did so back in 2018 in Calgary.

(submitted photo/Lizzie Janzen)

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8